In the Shadow of Time
by ChaosProjectAuthor
Summary: The Ritual of Prosperity. A day in which Shadow the Hedgehog made a choice. Fight Black Doom. Be the Hero. Save the World. But it was always a choice. In another time, in another place, Shadow could have taken another path. And a single choice, like a sonic boom, can spread ever wider over time, wreaking catastrophic consequences.
1. Part 1: Revenge at Last

**Part 1: Revenge at Last**

Shadow the Hedgehog steps slowly over the tall grass of the sloping hill. The sky behind him is cloaked by layers of ominous red clouds, draining the color from everything around. He starts to mutter to himself, "What's going on with me…?" He continues to walk along, nearing the crest of the hill. "I can't get these images out of mind…" He puts a hand to his head, and closes his eyes. "…These Black Creatures…how do they know me…?" He opens his eyes, and stops to look around. A gentle breeze sends leaves fluttering down from the treetops above. On a different day, under a blue sky and soft clouds, the setting might be called beautiful. But on this day, it only foretells of what may be lost. "Who was I before this?"

Shadow's eyes widen as the bright red glow from the sky suddenly begins to dim. Then he looks down to his feet and takes a step back in fear, as he realizes that the floor is disappearing in a widening circle beneath him. "What!?" Within seconds, the grass, the trees, and the sky have all given way to the starfield that Shadow now floats in.

An odd shimmering pattern appears in the empty space behind him. A deep, grumbling voice emanates from it, "Shadow…" Shadow looks up from where the floor used to be, but doesn't need to turn to recognize the voice of Black Doom. The demon-like alien overlord, appearing in his true, physical form, continues, "You seem troubled…"

Finally he turns to face the alien, his eyes filled with rage over countless unanswered questions. "You!"

Black Doom points is shrivelled hand in front of them, as his robes, sash, and other decorations flutter in the nonexistent air. "Look."

Shadow follows the direction of the alien's arm to see the blue sphere of the Earth far in front of them, a crater-ridden space station orbiting high above it. His face contorts in an attempt at recognition. "That's the…"

Black Doom answers in his slow drawl, "Yes, that's right. The Space Colony ARK. Fifty years ago."

Shadow lets out a gasp. "The ARK? Fifty…years ago?" Suddenly, some movement catches his eye. Through a window at the base of the hemispherical portion of the space station, two moving figures can be seen. "That's…me!" Just as he says, Shadow himself, leading the girl called Maria by the arm, runs past the window as fast as she can follow. But another cluster of figures follows close behind them. The real Shadow gasps once again. It is a small squadron of GUN soldiers, all wielding heavy weaponry. Shadow traces the two groups with his eyes for several moments, an open-mouthed frown on his face.

"That's right. This will remind you what the humans did to you." Shadow starts to squint in fear of his own memories. "Never forget that _horrifying_ image!" The ARK rotates peacefully around through space, as if far removed from any catastrophe that could ever happen.

And suddenly, Shadow is in the ARK, staring into the face of the girl from his memories. He has only a moment to look around in confusion before she pleas to him, "Shadow, I just can't leave everyone behind!" She grabs his hands. "Please, you need to help grandfather's research team, they were all attacked by the GUN soldiers in the laboratory!"

"The researchers!? Maria, what about you!? They're still after you, I promised to protect you!" Shadow's thoughts echo, _"How do I know that…? What's happening in this place…? I can't remember…"_ He starts to pull her. "Come on, we have to move!"

He pulls her through the automatic doors into the next room, a long, straight hallway. He continues to pull her as fast as she can follow, until she tries to stop him at a machine containing a pod full of a strange blue fluid. "That's one of grandfather's Heal Units, we can use it to help the researchers. What if one of them is in here?"

He pulls her harder, and they get moving again. "There's no time for that! I need to get you out before…" _"Before what…?"_

This time, it's Shadow who stops them, as the next door opens, revealing the one-eyed, tentacle-covered creature known only as Doom's Eye. It turns to glare into Shadow's eyes directly, as Black Doom's voice growls from it, "Remember…" Shadow looks over at Maria, but she doesn't seem to see the creature. "You were attacked by the humans here. You know what you must do." He looks right into Maria's eyes. "Finish them off!" Doom's Eye flies off ahead, the door opening for it.

On the other side waits a large squadron of GUN soldiers, armed with rifles, pistols, and knives. They all turn their attention to Shadow and Maria. "There he is!" "Get him!" "Don't let him get away!" Maria gasps and takes a step behind Shadow.

Doom's Eye shouts from above, "Don't let them defile your precious home!"

Shadow clutches his head and growls as he is assaulted by the gruesome memory that will never leave. _The soldier, pointing the weapon. The gunshot. The scream. His own voice. "MARIA!"_

 _Doom's voice echoes, "You know what you must do…"_

 _Maria's voice, "Please, Shadow…help me!"_

 _A different voice, confident, full of passion, a voice that can only belong to Sonic the Hedgehog. "Friends have to protect each other, no matter what. There's just no other way."_

Shadow screams aloud as he is pulled down into a complete flashback.

—–—

 _Super Shadow dashed towards the Biolizard as it dragged the ARK down towards the planet. "Here I come, you creep!"_

 _The voice of Amy Rose cried over the radio. "Can you both hear me? The ARK is close to the Earth! Please hurry up!" Prepared, Shadow effortlessly dived out of the way of the Biolizard's attacks._

 _Sonic marveled from inside, "Shadow, I understand. You're unstoppable. Let's destroy this creature now! Everyone is waiting for us back on Earth!"_

 _But Shadow hardly seemed to be listening. "Maria…watch me. I will fulfil your wish!" He powered straight through the creature's red orbs, and struck the final weak spot, right where its life support system used to be. It let out a hideous cry, as its many mechanical parts began to malfunction and detonate. Its body went limp._

 _Super Sonic flew back out to meet Shadow. The two of them clasped hands in the highest respect. Then Shadow turned back to the still-falling ARK. "I must end the evil the professor has made."_

 _Sonic, shocked at him, shouted, "Shadow, at this rate your Super Form won't last! Get back to the colony!" Shadow simply shook his head. The flames around the ARK grew greatly as it entered the lower atmosphere. Sonic nodded in understanding, and they both flew head-on towards the ARK. "No way that's getting through!"_

 _A voice echoed in Shadow's head._ "Shadow…I beg of you…" _"Maria!"_ "…give them a chance…to be happy." _Shadow realized what he had to do. He took the rings around his wrists and ankles, and unclasped them. Three Inhibitor Rings fell to Earth._

 _Sonic hardly seemed to notice, focusing on the ARK, which by then loomed extremely close. "Now, Shadow!" An orb of light formed in Shadow's outstretched hand. Sonic added his own hand to the orb, and it grew in size. At once, the two hedgehogs shouted, "Chaos Control!" The orb of light expanded exponentially in size, encompassing the entire ARK in under a second. The light turned to a bright blue, and pulsated around the ARK, before completely absorbing the colony and collapsing in on itself._

 _Shadow's golden light faded, and he began to fall._

 _Sonic looked to Shadow as he fell, but then noticed his own light fading. After one quick glance, he clenched a fist as he came to a decision._

 _From up in the stabilized ARK, Rouge, Amy, Tails, Knuckles, and Eggman all watched as the first of the two distant gold lights began to fall to the planet, disappearing from sight. But then, rather than return to the ARK, the second light soared down after the first._

 _Sonic's words once again echo, "There's just no other way…"_

—–—

Shadow stands over the fallen GUN soldier, panting, teeth clenched, fingers curled into claws, ready to deliver the finishing blow.

"Shadow, stop it!" Shadow suddenly remembers the presence of Maria, and turns back to face her. Her mouth gapes open, as tears stream from her eyes. She sobs out, "Shadow…what have you done?"

Shadow's face shows excitement, even exhilaration as he realizes the answer to her question. "I finally did it, Maria. I couldn't do it last time, but this time, I did! I finally saved you, just like I promised! I took out every last soldier, now no one can hurt you! You're safe! _We_ are safe!" He takes a step closer to her, but she takes a step back to match.

"Shadow, you hurt so many people! That wasn't protection, it was murder!"

"Maria…I did it for you."

"How could you?"

Shadow takes another step towards her, but this time, she turns and runs away. Shadow reaches a hand after her, but doesn't say a word.

Doom's Eye descends down behind him. "This is the best that humanity has to offer. Unaccepting. Unforgiving. The one human you believed would always remain by your side, fled in fear from who you really are."

"I…I did it to save her…"

"The humans do not understand what is best for them. They are blinded by their resistance to change."

The voice of a soldier shouts, "Mantis Platoon: Heavy Dog reporting in." A massive, circular hovering military weapon descends to ground level, a soldier speaking into a radio from the cockpit. "Primary target has been located. The girl was spotted fleeing the scene." The machine is armed on all sides with large missile launchers. "Acquiring target! En route to intercept and destroy!"

Shadow stares at the face of the soldier. "What the…?" _His mind is once again assaulted by the image of the soldier pointing the weapon, and the sound of the gunshot. And Maria, falling to the ground. "Please, Shadow…help me!"_ The soldier readies the controls of the Heavy Dog. "That's…"

Doom's Eye finishes, "That's right…the very same soldier who took her life. And he will do so again, if he is not stopped." Shadow clenches a fist in anger. "Humans…willing to sacrifice their own, when overcome by greed. They are a foolish race."

"Those heartless humans! They'll regret standing in my way!" He dives at the Heavy Dog.

The soldier continues to shout into his radio, "Target has been sighted! Proceeding to engage and neutralize!" Missiles fire out of all sides of the craft.

As Shadow dodges around the swarm of missiles, many of them detoning just inches away from him, Doom's Eye commands, "Go! Bring swift judgement upon these humans for their trespasses!" Shadow leaps up, and strikes at one of the missile launchers, knocking it free from the vehicle. The Heavy Dog flees back as Shadow lands on the ground, continuing to launch missiles and bombs as it moves. Shadow hefts the apparently still-functional missile launcher onto his shoulder. "Yes…take this weapon, and obliterate him." Shadow launches the first missile, and gives a rage-filled smirk. He begins to relentlessly unleash missile after missile, never moving from his spot on the ground. The explosives target the Heavy Dog on all sides, crippling its weapons, cracking its cockpit, and soon, disabling its hovering mechanism.

The Heavy Dog wobbles and shudders unpredictably. "Critical damage taken to fuselage! We're losing–" The entire control console in front of the soldier explodes. "Arrrgh!" The vehicle crashes to the ground, filled with countless small explosions as all of its internal mechanisms fail.

Shadow tosses his empty weapon to the side. "How dare you try to harm Maria!? Disgusting human! Get out of my sight!"

Doom's Eye swims through the air behind him, its tentacles flailing as it comes to a stop. "Very good, Shadow. Very good."

As Shadow blinks, he finds himself exactly where he was before; floating in the void of space beyond the ARK, Black Doom right by his side. Shadow stares out at the ARK, and nods very slowly.

"So, you've finally come to realize just how abominable these humans are."

"I remember now. I remember what they did to us. What they did to _me_."

"You understand that they must be protected from themselves."

"…They must be protected. There is no other way."

"You understand what I require you to do."

"I understand."

"Very good."

Just as it had disappeared before, the world around Shadow suddenly returns in a ring of red light. He stands on the grass at the crest of the hill, leaves blowing down from the trees above him. Doom's Eye swims past him, gazing out at the opposite side of the hill. "Look upon the capital of the human government. It may be familiar to you." Shadow obediently scans over Central City, not far from the base of the hill. "They believe that they are safe in such a well-protected place. We will prove them wrong."

"We?"

The eye turns to gaze down the opposite side of the hill. A small army of Black Alien foot soldiers march up towards Shadow's location. Shadow tenses up for a fight. "Do not be concerned. I am placing these Black Warrior soldiers under _your_ command."

"Me?"

"Correct. They are armed with bombs to be strategically placed throughout the city. The determination of where they are to be placed is your task. Make the humans understand the true meaning of suffering. Do not fail me." The soldiers come to a stop in position behind Shadow.

"What do you need me for? Why can't you do this?"

"I have important preparations to make for the Prosperity Ritual, in two days time."

"Prosperity Ritual?"

Doom ignores the question. "Now, go!" The eye soars off as quickly as it had arrived.

Shadow looks to the aliens behind him, then forward to the city ahead. "Soldiers…march." The aliens obediently begin trudging forward, Shadow leading the way. He can't help but think to himself, _"Why do they obey me? Why do I matter them? Could this…be what I was created for?"_

* * *

 **Note from the author: First of all, thanks for reading. This is an idea I've been toying with for quite some time, but I've finally decided to release this first part, in celebration of my recent conquering of Shadow the Hedgehog's Expert Mode. This is still an incomplete series, I haven't written the second half yet, though I expect there to be about six parts, plus an epilogue. Anyways, my other story, The Chaos Project, is still a priority, so new chapters for this one won't be coming very often, at least until I finish the current arc of that one. But for now, please enjoy, and if you want to see more (or have any more specific input), please, feel free to let me know in a Review. Once again, thank you, and for now, sayonara.**


	2. Part 2: The March to a Darker World

**Part 2: The March to a Darker World**

Night has fallen over Central City. The last remaining GUN soldiers and their war machines shoot off against swarms of Black Hawks, as well as several massive Black Oak soldiers. But all of the Black Warrior footsoldiers march away from the center of battle, gathering into military-like formation. All gathered, they come to a stop. Shadow looks over his new personal army, standing ready before him. He turns as Doom's Eye soars down from the sky. Before it comes to a stop, he reports, "All of the bombs have been planted."

The eye of the jellyfish-like creature opens wide, and starts to glow. After a moment, a projection of Black Doom is formed in front of it. "Excellent work, Shadow."

"The humans have contained several of the largest ones. They are…resilient."

"You seem to be troubled once again, Shadow. Need I remind you of your past? Remember what those humans did to you. Remember your hatred and contempt for them."

Shadow closes his eyes and repeats to himself, "Hatred…and contempt."

"You were the Ultimate Life Form. They feared you. They wanted to destroy you! And in a sense, they did. But they could not destroy your hatred. Now, you must use that hatred to amass your revenge against those humans! Unleash your _ultimate_ powers against them! Don't let them destroy each other the way they tried to destroy you!"

Shadow nods. "It must be done."

"Good." The projection of the alien leader turns to the Black Arms soldiers. "Go, my soldiers! Strike fear in the hearts of those who still resist!" The aliens obediently march back into battle. Doom turns back to Shadow. "You must ensure that the bombs detonate, by any means necessary. I expect nothing less than success from you."

"I…will not fail you." The projection fades as Doom's Eye soars away once again. Shadow looks out to the waging battle. Weapon fire from both sides create regular flashes throughout the capital city, some of bright purple, others of more familiar white and red. Shadow skates off into the heart of the city. He passes burning buildings, retreating soldiers, and massive chasms. He only stops as a Black Warrior is sent flying into his path.

A moment later, Knuckles the Echidna slams a fist down on the fallen creature's chest, crushing it in a burst of green fluid. "Take that, alien scum!" He looks up to see Shadow for the first time. "Hey, it's Shadow!" He runs up to meet him, sounding exhausted. "Good timing. The black creatures have planted huge bombs all over the city! We can't have more than a few minutes before they go off and blow this place sky-high!"

"I know."

"Well, good. Come on, we have to clear them out before they do too much damage!" He grabs Shadow by the arm, and starts to pull him. "I saw one right over here, let's go." Shadow doesn't resist, and allows Knuckles to pull him to the other end of the street. The bomb planted there, shaped vaguely like a cube, and dark purple in color, spews odd yellow particles out of its top. "Here it is, and it looks like it's getting ready to blow."

Shadow kneels down to examine the explosive. He stares at it for a while. "Intriguing design. This is the first time I've looked at one up close."

Knuckles scratches at his head. "Yeah, sure… Look, I hate to rush you, but if you don't hurry up, these things are gonna blow us all to smithereens!"

Shadow puts a hand on the bomb. It starts to glow, creating a pulsating yellow light.

"What're you doing? Can you disarm them!?"

Shadow stands up and starts to walk away. The bomb starts to throw out thin beams of white light, as it emits a low-pitched whine.

Knuckles looks at the bomb with confusion. "That doesn't look right. Are you sure you disarmed it, Shadow?"

Shadow keeps walking. The air around the bomb starts to shimmer.

Knuckles runs up to Shadow, puts a hand on his shoulder, and forcefully turns him around. "Whaddaya think you're–"

"Get your hands off of me!" Shadow puts just one hand on Knuckles' chest, and shoves him hard enough to send him flying through the air, landing right back at the bomb.

The bomb explodes. The shockwave sends Knuckles' limp body once again flying through the air. Until he collides head-first with the nearest building, accompanied by a sickening sound. Moments later, he collapses back onto the ground, a clear wound on his head, his arms singed and burned. Despite his grave injuries, he manages to mutter almost indistinctly as he reaches out with a hand, "Too…strong…." Then everything goes limp.

Shadow has long since resumed his walk away, never looking back at his victim. Without stopping, he grunts and clutches his head, as if struck by a sudden headache. Words echo in his mind. The words of Sonic. _"I'm not going to give up on you… No matter what…" The words grow to a full flashback._

—–—

 _Shadow's golden glow began to fade, and he began to fall. "Maria…this is what you wanted, right? This is my promise I made to you…" He closed his eyes, and let the last of the Chaos Emerald's energy fade away. A thin smile appeared on his face. The wind on his back increased in strength as the atmosphere thickened. But something was off. Something wasn't right. There was someone else there. Shadow opened his eyes, to see Sonic not far above him, his fur pulsating between blue and gold, clinging to energy of the Emeralds with every fiber of his being, increasing his speed by pointing his body straight downwards._

 _After another moment, Sonic grabbed Shadow tightly with both arms. "Gotcha!"_

 _"Sonic…? What…?"_

 _"I'm not going to let you die like this, not after what you did up there! I'm not giving up on you, no matter what!"_

 _"You're…an idiot…"_

 _"Friends have to protect each other, no matter what! There's just no other way!"_

 _"Now we'll both die… When the world needs you most…"_

 _Sonic's golden flashes were becoming less and less frequent. With each time it faded, he winced in greater pain, burned by the increasing force of drag. "Not if I have anything to say about it! The world needs you too, Shadow! We can use one last Chaos Control to get out of this!"_

 _"I can't… There's nothing left…"_

 _"Then we'll share what I have! We need to do this together! Are you ready?"_

 _"…Ready…"_

 _At once they shouted with the strength they could each muster, "Chaos…Control!"_

 _The two falling hedgehogs became cloaked in a harsh blue light. The light shimmered, shined, and pulsated, lighting up the sky around them. Finally, the light condensed into a single, blinding green point between them. In an instant, the light and hedgehogs were warped away. An instant later, dozens of miles below, in another flash of light, the two reappeared just above a large body of water, which they crashed into with a great splash._

 _Shadow slowly sank ever deeper into the water. He struggled just to open his eyes. Far above him, he could barely make out the blurry, silhouetted image of Sonic being pulled out of the water by an unseen force. Then the blackness edged out over everything else._

 _"I'm not giving up on you…"_

—–—

The President of the United Federation stares out at the red sky over the capital city, where the battle still wages. The sun is rising. The sound of a creaking door can be heard behind him. His elegantly-decorated office, with plush red carpet, antique-looking chandeliers, and expensive paintings, has a single, large, active computer console desk at its center, decorated with a few other trinkets. The President never turns to look at his visitors, two GUN soldiers flanking a seasoned military commander. The Commander has eyes of two different colors, his right a dark maroon, and his left a bright cyan-green. All three stand at attention and give a salute. The Commander speaks, "Sir, your transport is ready. We must go, now!" The President stares out at the city for a while. "Sir, please!"

"Once again…I have failed my duty to protect our nation." The President closes his eyes and shakes his head. "Our world."

"Sir, it's not over! We can continue to fight!" He raises a fist in determination. "The black aliens may have rendered us unable to fight back for now, but we will rally, sir." He swipes his hand back down. "You must keep the United Federation strong and together!"

"Yes…" He finally turns, and steps slowly towards his desk. "…keep the nations united." He bends down and puts the weight of both hands on his desk. "No matter what happens…we will never surrender to these creatures." He looks over at a glass-framed photograph on the other side of the desk. In the picture, in front of the same executive office where they now stand, Shadow the Hedgehog has his back turned and his arms crossed, appearing ready to walk away. Some distance closer to the camera stands Sonic the Hedgehog, giving a confident thumbs-up. But something is different about him. There appear to be bandages wrapped around his arms nearly up to the elbow. On the rest of the arms lie visible burn scars. "This much, I learned from them."

The Commander walks around to stand behind the President. "Sir, please hurry!"

The President removes his hands from the desk, and stands up straight. "Okay." He slowly steps away from the desk, and the two soldiers escort him out of the room.

Once the door closes, the Commander looks over at the President's photo. He glares at the face of Shadow with contempt. "The black creatures will feel their own bloody Hell! That means you most of all, Shadow!" He suddenly swipes up the picture, and hurls it at the ground. The glass case shatters loudly. Though the photograph is still in one piece, a partial tear forms between Sonic and Shadow.

—–—

Shadow stands high atop a skyscraper in front of the rising sun, looking down at the city below. Most of the gunfire has stopped, though countless fires still rage. He turns his gaze to one particular sector of the capital. A massive explosion appears, shaking the building he stands on a delayed moment later. Two more explosions appear near the first. One by one, the network of explosives go off in a massive chain throughout the entire city, destroying roads, obliterating bridges, and leveling buildings. When the commotion ends, little is left of the city but a massive pile of rubble. Shadow's building is one of the only left standing. "At last…revenge…" _"So why does it feel so empty…?"_

"You were too slow."

"What!?" Shadow turns with surprise to see the real Black Doom floating just behind him, watching the destruction.

Black Doom points a gnarled finger out towards the sky. "Look."

Shadow's gaze follows the alien's arm, to see a heavily-armored silver and blue craft flying away from the rubble of what used to be the executive building, up towards some kind of massive military airship. Two other similar airships complete the air fleet.

"What a pathetic sight, to see their 'strong-willed' leader flee so easily." He throws out his arm, causing his sash and trinkets to sway through the air. "Shadow, follow them! Make sure they understand their situation. My eye shall accompany you once you are there."

Shadow nods. "I understand."

"Then go!"

Shadow pulls out the dark blue Chaos Emerald, and holds high into the air. "Chaos…Control!" He disappears in a flash of blue light.

Black Doom nods very slowly. "You are almost ready, Shadow."


	3. Part 3: True Soldier of Destruction

**Part 3: True Soldier of Destruction**

Appearing in the usual flash of blue light, Shadow drops to the ground in a crouch. The transparent floor beneath him reveals a cloudy red and grey sky, lit by the rising sun. He appears to be in some sort of hangar, exposed to the open air behind him, leading up to a thickly-reinforced door up ahead. The area is full of monitors and other objects plastered with the GUN insignia. Above his head, a long rail stretches past and through a wide opening above the door. Beneath it, Miles "Tails" Prower swipes his twin tails a Black Warrior footsoldier, making it explode into the usual green goop. Then he looks up to see Shadow. "Shadow!" He runs up to meet him. "We're in big trouble! The Black Creatures are after the President's escape pod!" He points up to the rail passing through the opening, to show that the pod travels along it. "We've got to stop them and save the President!"

Shadow walks past Tails, and picks up the long, greenish-tan Splitter gun that the destroyed alien had dropped, before continuing through the door, which opens automatically as he approaches.

"Great, let's go!" Tails follows him in. On the other side is a long, curved hallway, with windows lined up along the left side. Tails points up to the ceiling above the other end. "There it is! The President's escape pod!" The same silver craft Shadow saw before is guided along the continuing rail, through another opening above the next door. Shadow runs after it, and Tails follows, until both are stopped as three more Black Warriors crash through the windows from the outside. "Shadow, it's the Black Creatures! We have to stop them!"

Shadow takes the opportunity. "You handle them. I'll take care of the President."

"Wait, but–"

Shadow is already skating off. "Just do it!" As Tails reluctantly engages the aliens, Shadow moves through the next door, shaking his head and muttering, "Stupid kid."

On the other side of the door waits Doom's Eye, glaring at him intensely. "Shadow, go! Destroy that craft, and kill their leader! Then watch its effects on the humans." Shadow looks up at the escape pod passing above them. Then he unloads a volley of disk-like energy projectiles from his weapon, all aimed at the armored craft.

—–—

Shadow walks along a platform attached to the side of the massive airship, bathed by the harsh orange light of the rising sun. The President's escape pod, trailing smoke, passes above him. But he holds no weapon. Doom's Eye is nowhere to be seen.

The voice of Tails shouts from behind him, "Shadow, there you are!" He catches up quickly. Shadow doesn't turn. "Shadow, there's just too many of them, and the escape pod has already taken serious damage. No matter how many I defeat, they just keep coming! I can't handle them all by myself, we have to stick together!" Shadow stops to look at the roughly dome-shaped machine they've arrived at. Tails notices it as well. For a moment, he seems to forget all of his troubles. "Wow, that turret is so cool!" He runs up to examine the turret up close. "I've never seen a vulcanized ceramic used for this kind of thing before."

Shadow silently steps into the turret, and begins to take aim.

"I know it's cool, Shadow, but we have to get moving. The President is still in serious danger!"

Shadow opens fire on the pod as it passes overhead.

"Shadow, what're you doing!? Stop!" Shadow continues his merciless onslaught in silence. Tails hesitates for a moment, still hardly comprehending the situation. Realizing that it would be useless to try and force Shadow out, he quickly bends down and begins trying to deactivate the turret from the outside, removing metal plating, and tearing out wires parts. Soot from the firing gun collects on his face, and he only rubs it further into his eyes with one hand as he works, all to the deafening sound of continuous automatic fire.

Just as the silver craft rounds the corner to return to the interior of the airship, the turret falls completely to pieces. The pod has been covered in small fires, much of its own metal plating torn free, but it remains intact.

Tails completely freezes in fear as Shadow looks to him with rage. Shadow grabs Tails by the scruff of fur on his chest, and walks him out the edge of the platform, holding him out over miles of empty air with just one hand. The escape pod disappears into the airship. Tails' eyes are red and teary, as much from fear and sorrow as from the ash that still lines his face. "Shadow…why?"

Shadow tightens his grip, and Tails flinches, as two tears carve lines down the black on his face, before dropping into the abyss below. Shadow finally answers calmly, "I don't expect you to understand my reasons. You'd best stay out of my way. Now you go, and you tell Sonic that he'd better stay out of my way too. Unless you both want to end up like your other friend."

"What?"

Shadow's only answer is to throw the fox boy out into the abyss. Then he turns and picks up a piece of the turret, an apparently independently-functioning weapon of its own. Then he follows the path of the escape pod back into the airship.

Once Shadow is safely away, Tails flutters back onto the platform from below, having been flying with his twin tails to prevent the fall. "Our other friend…?" He suddenly gasps. "Knuckles!"

—–—

Standing on what appears to be an elevator platform deep in a circular shaft, Shadow unloads the last of the weapon's ammo into the silver craft, as it finally crumbles to pieces in a fiery explosion above him. "I had no choice. This is about more than just finding the truth." Among the pieces of the escape pod, the cyan Chaos Emerald falls as well, which Shadow snatches from the air.

"Well done, Shadow." Doom's Eye drifts towards him in its usual jellyfish-like fashion. "Unfortunately, the Chaos Emerald was merely a decoy."

"What!?"

"As we speak, the real escape pod is preparing to land at a fortified military base. You have once again failed to kill their leader."

"Then I'll go to that base myself, I'll take an army, finish the job once and for all!"

"Your enthusiasm is noted, Shadow. However…I have a superior plan."

—–—

The silver and blue craft drifts down onto the helipad in the rocky tunnel. A small squadron of soldiers prepare to meet with its passengers. With a hiss, the door to the craft folds open. The president slowly begins to limp down the steps, supported at the shoulders by the Commander.

Some time later, the Commander finally sets the president down into his own chair at the center of the command room, filled with lit screens of world maps and red blips, as well as other horrifying images of the war. Almost two dozen workers collect and relay information from them. The Commander questions slowly, "Sir…are you alright?"

The president opens his eyes with a sigh. He answers slowly, "Never mind me." He pauses, then looks the Commander right in the eyes. "What about the people of Central City?"

The Commander stands up straight. "Evacuation orders were issued yesterday. All civilians made it to the safe zone. But…we lost a lot of good soldiers. Casualty reports are still coming in."

The president closes his eyes again, and leans back in the chair. "It's unfortunate…but at least the people made it to safety."

The loud sound of a proximity alarm and an opening door alert them to the presence of an informant, who they both turn to meet. "Now what's going on?"

The soldier steps up and gives a shaky salute. "Commander…the invaders!"

"Spit it out, soldier!"

"Sir…they seem to be in retreat!"

The two leaders at once shout in shock, "What!?"

"Estimated over 1000 black aliens turned tail left their active battlefields, returning to wherever they came from. Alien ships tracked leaving the surface all seem to be converging at the Space Colony ARK. According to reports, Shadow the Hedgehog has been sighted leaving with them."

The Commander suddenly pounds his fist onto the side of the chair the president sits in. "The Eclipse Cannon! Damn them! Shadow is leading them to the Eclipse Cannon! This isn't a retreat, soldier! It's an attack plan!"

The president has to support his head in a hand as he takes that in. "Shadow? I don't believe it."  
The Commander doesn't waste time trying to convince him. "Attention all units! Mobilize everything we have, all Mech battle sections! We must stop the aliens from infiltrating the ARK at any cost! Prepare 'Diabolon' for combat!"

The soldier shouts back, "Sir, that isn't possible at this time! It's not functional yet! They need at least another day to–"

"Then make it a priority! I don't care if it's unfinished, just get it to me as soon as possible! We have _no_ other option! We must protect our planet!"

"Yes sir!" The soldier runs back out to deliver the new orders.

The Commander pulls out a small pistol. "Shadow…after 50 years…" He cocks the gun. "…justice will finally be served!"

The president looks up at him. "You really plan to go up there for yourself?"

"I can't sit by and watch any longer, sir."

"Well then…while you're there…." He thinks for another moment. "To protect our country…to protect our planet…do whatever it takes. Consider that an order. Even if it means…" He trails off, and sighs again. "If it ever comes down to saving me, or saving my people–"

"Don't say that, sir! You're in the most secure facility on the planet!"

"But if it does. Don't worry about me. I'll gladly give my life for this planet."

"Sir…"

"You should get going. Like you said, I'll be safe here. Good luck, Commander."

—–—

Tails runs into the dimly-lit room of his workshop. "Sonic, it's Shadow, he–" Tails completely freezes at the sight before him.

Sonic's voice answers, "I know." Before Tails, Knuckles lies limp on a makeshift stretcher, his head, arms, and legs all thickly wrapped in dirty bandages. "He's alive…lucky to be at all…but the doctors said…he may not ever…" He starts to choke up. All he can manage to get out is "Head trauma." Tails finally looks over at Sonic, who appears to be habitually running a hand over his head in stress, ruffling a few quills out of place. His own arms and legs are still wrapped in comparatively pristine white bandages, though, most notably, he appears to have grown out the fur on his arms, covering any visible burn scars. "They couldn't do anything else for him, not with the resources they have."

Knuckles suddenly starts to mutter, "I wasn't… I wasn't… I wasn't…strong enough…"

The other two look to him with sorrow. Finally, Tails manages to start, "I was…with Shadow…and he…he tried to…to shoot down the President. I tried to stop him, but…I wasn't fast enough. Did he…?"

"The President is alive. He just made a public report. The black aliens are headed for the ARK. Shadow is with them. So I guess that means I'm going too."

Tails breathes a sigh of momentary relief. Then he remembers something, and starts rummaging through a container. He pulls out a pair of goggles, which he straps to his forehead, and a toolbelt, which he slings around his shoulder. "From now on, I stay prepared." Somehow, the articles bring him right to his fears. "Sonic…I don't understand. How could Shadow…" He starts to tear up again. "I thought that he…he was…"

Sonic shakes his head. "I don't think that anyone in their right mind could ever have imagined Shadow as a villain. But…we might have to accept the fact that…that's what this world is coming to." He turns and steps slowly to a small table, and puts his hand on something. He lifts it up to get a good look at it. It appears to be a simple gold ring, almost seeming to reflect more light than there is available in the room. He tightens his grip on the ring as he clenches his eyes shut. He thinks, _"I promised… I promised you, Shadow." He can't help but remember that day._

—–—

 _Sonic slowly came to consciousness in the same workshop room where Knuckles presently lies. Tails' voice was the first to greet him. "Sonic? Sonic, are you alright?"_

 _"Wh…what happened?" He started to look around the room with growing concern as his head began to clear. "Where…where's Shadow?" Tails looked down and shook his head. "No, no, that isn't possible! I went down after him, I saved him! He should be here, he should be fine!" In all his shouting, Sonic finally noticed the bandages wrapped up his arms._

 _"You were burned up pretty badly in the fall. If you ask me, they look pretty cool on you. Kinda like sports tape."_

 _Sonic didn't much seem to care. "What about Shadow? What happened to him?"_

" _It's a miracle that you're alive at all. If an old friend of ours wasn't there to fish you out of that lake…"_

 _"He was right there with me! How could he be gone?"_

 _"We searched the whole lake, Sonic. There was no trace of him."_

 _"He can't have just disappeared!"_

 _"You used Chaos Control, didn't you? Maybe something went wrong." Sonic shook his head. "Maybe he just…" Tails grimaced at the gruesome thought. "Maybe he just burned up."_

 _Sonic shook his head even more fervently. "I won't believe it!"_

" _There is another possibility. If someone or something was already down there, waiting to take Shadow's body…he might have been gone before we started our search."_

" _Are you saying that someone was planning to kidnap Shadow?"_

" _I'm saying it's a possibility. That's assuming he even survived."_

" _I know he did."_

 _That topic settled, Tails took out something to show to Sonic. It was the gold ring. "You were found holding this. What is it?"_

 _Sonic took the ring from Tails. "This was Shadow's. He dropped it before…before we saved the ARK." He tightened his grip on the ring, and clenched his eyes shut. "I promise you, Shadow. We will find you. We will save you…"_


	4. Part 4: Destruction and Scorn

**Part 4: Destruction and Scorn**

The great blue globe of Earth turns as slowly and steadily as ever, as if blissfully unaware of the violence and destruction that plagues its surface. High above this constant, inalterable motion, Shadow the Hedgehog appears in a flash of light, Black Doom floating beside him. Uncaring about the planet, Shadow's eyes move immediately to the familiar sight of the space station before them.

Black Doom's rumbling voice sounds, "It is time to complete all final preparations for our ritual. Hidden inside the Space Colony ARK is the most powerful weapon in the galaxy, able to pierce stars…the Eclipse Cannon."

Shadow looks up to Black Doom with some confusion at the sound of the familiar words. "Piercing…the stars…"

"That's right. We must demonstrate the cannon's full power, or tomorrow's Prosperity Ritual will all be for nothing."

Shadow gives a slow nod. "Tomorrow."

"As we speak, our forces are amassing to take the ARK. However…the facility has an impressive defense system, preventing our entry. Destroy the defense systems, so our attack force can get through."

"I understand."

Black Doom looks to the ARK with some mixture of pity and contempt. "What fools. Humans created the Eclipse Cannon to protect themselves from terror. Instead, it will aid in the end of human civilization!" As he speaks, an armored, bird-like Black Volt creature soars around behind him, and comes to a stop underneath Shadow, waiting for him to mount. "Now…go." Shadow grabs ahold of the creature, allowing it to take him towards the space station. Black Doom calls after him, "You've already failed me twice, Shadow! I suggest you not try for a third time!" Doom starts to disappear as Doom's Eye soars past him, pursuing Shadow.

As Shadow soars closer to the ARK, a circle of greenish barriers come into view, with an odd, starfish-like mechanism at their center. Doom's Eye informs Shadow, "That is one of the defense units. Destroy it!"

At Shadow's command, the Black Volt begins to launch a series of organic missiles, all targeting the strange green mechanism. The defense unit crumbles to pieces as Shadow passes over it, deactivating all of the barriers.

Doom's Eye comments approvingly, "One down… Only three remain."

—–—

Shadow, heavy machine gun in hand, walks towards the final defense unit, no Black Volt or Doom's Eye to be seen. As if sensing a pattern, he stops to look over his shoulder, expecting someone to be there. But he appears to be alone. "Finally. Peace and–"

Shadow flinches as a high and nasally yet grumbling voice shouts, "Well, if it isn't Shadow!" Shadow turns with some combination of a sigh and a growl to meet Vector the Crocodile, who appears to have donned a small, black leather jacket for unknown reasons. "You know the layout of this place, right? You've gotta help me find the computer room!"

"Is that all?" Shadow points straight up with his gun, to an opening in flat surface of the ARK high above them, out of which green light floods. "See that opening? The central computer core's in there." With that said, Shadow turns to leave.

"Wait! Aren't you gonna help me get there?"

"I'm busy." Shadow resumes his walk.

"Oh. Well, uh…" Vector scratches at his head. "Thanks, I guess." Vector runs off in the other direction.

After another moment, Shadow checks over his shoulder to ensure that Vector is gone. Then, wasting no more time, he opens fire on the floating defense unit. In seconds, it is destroyed. "The Eclipse Cannon is ours."

Doom's Eye approaches from behind. "Well done, Shadow. Meet me in the cannon's control room." It flies off just as quickly as it arrived.

With no ammo remaining, Shadow discards the weapon, as heavy footsteps across the glass floor can be heard from behind him. "It's been a long time…Shadow." Shadow turns to look into the achromatic eyes of the GUN Commander, who points his pistol directly at Shadow's head.

Shadow turns to face him calmly. "Who are you supposed to be? Another one claiming to know who I am?"

The Commander continues to step forward, never lowering the weapon. "I know you…Shadow the Hedgehog." He stops a few feet short of Shadow. "You killed everyone I loved. My family. Maria!" He jabs the gun forward for emphasis, as Shadow lets out the slightest gasp at the name. "I've been waiting all my life for this day!"

Shadow closes his eyes, and clenches a fist tightly. "You're wrong. I didn't kill anyone, not on that day." He opens his eyes again, and looks directly into the face of his opponent. "Even though Maria didn't know who I really am, even though she would have been terrified of me if she did, I still tried to save her, because I thought she was a good person. But there are no good people."

"How dare you!? Maria was like a sister to me! She meant more to me than anyone else! And because of you…she was killed!" The Commander closes his eyes as he thinks back. "I witnessed it all…the Professor and that black creature planning to create a horrifying, evil creature!"

Shadow is once again struck with surprise. "You're saying that…I was created by Black Doom?"

"And that insane Professor who unleashed it all!"

Shadow has to take a step back as he clutches at his head. "That explains…why…" His eyes dart back and forth as he starts to connect everything, the promises, the demands, the memories, the alien soldiers.

The Commander snaps him out of it with a loud shout. "You don't fool me! It's not just about Maria! Thanks to you, everyone I knew and loved was killed aboard the ARK. Finally, justice is served!" He suddenly pulls the trigger, and the gunshot sounds violently through the otherwise silent space. But no one is standing in front him. He only has a moment to realize that he missed before he is struck in the back of the head by Shadow's kick. He collapses onto the floor as his dropped weapon slides a fair distance away.

Shadow looks down on the white-haired man with scorn. "You've wasted enough of my time." He turns to leave. "I have work to do."

The Commander tries to contain his rage by pressing his fingers into the solid glass floor. He mutters quietly, "I've waited too long to let you get away that easily." Too far from his gun, he draws a knife that he had concealed. "You'll regret turning your back on me!" He quickly stands and charges at his foe with the sharp weapon.

Without turning back, Shadow throws back an elbow, connecting with his assailant's chest and stopping him in place. Then he strikes the Commander's hand with the back of his wrist, sending the knife flying out, which he catches, turns around, and slices with, all in one fluid motion. The Commander cries out as he collapses to the ground again, clutching one side of his face. Crimson blood starts to seep through his once-pristine white gloves. He still stares up Shadow with rage through his remaining maroon eye.

Shadow shakes his head. "It was foolish to think that you could take on the Ultimate Life Form so easily." Shadow drops the knife onto the floor with a clatter. "It would be a waste of even more time to kill you now," he continues, already making his way out once again. "You'll join the rest of your kind soon enough."

Long after Shadow is gone, the Commander still glares at the spot where he once stood, his anger still building with every passing moment. Until a blindingly bright floodlight suddenly shines on him, accompanied by the loud whirring and strong wind of a landing craft. A figure steps out of the craft once it touches ground, silhouetted by the craft's strong light. The figure of another hedgehog, who offers his hand in help to the Commander. After a moment of hesitation, the Commander takes Sonic's hand.

—–—

Shadow walks slowly across the narrow platform, leading to the center of the wide, circular room, where Black Doom waits for him. Black Doom greets, "You're late, Shadow."

"There was a setback." He comes to a stop as the straight platform stretches into a circular one, wrapping around an odd device that seems to stretch from the ground below all the way to the roof up above, a computer console with holographic displays sitting in front. "I took care of it."

"Very well." Doom turns to the computer console, and presses a key. Many lights around the central device light up as the circular platform begins to rise away, turning slightly. The device opens up from the center, revealing seven Emerald-shaped slots arrayed in an X pattern. "You are familiar with this device, correct? Place the Chaos Emeralds inside, so that we may begin our demonstration."

"I understand." Shadow steps up to the empty slots. He takes out the dark blue Chaos Emerald, reaches over, and gently presses it into the center slot. It shines and makes a twinkling sound as it is secured. He continues one at a time with four more Emeralds, leaving only two empty slots. "That's all of them."

"Good. Now, come closer." Doom beckons Shadow to the console. "I have already set the Eclipse Cannon's coordinates to the military base we discussed earlier. I want you to fire at it."

"What!? Me?"

"That's right. Contained within that single facility are all of the planet's highest ranking leaders, military units, and spies. Including the President you've twice now failed to eliminate. When your task is complete, Earth will have no one left to turn to. It is a vital part of our conquest."

"Did you say…spies?" For reasons he can't at first explain, the image of the bat girl who woke him in his earliest intact memories comes to his mind, of the time when they first met in this very room. _"That's right…I remember now. She was a spy. She was a traitor. And I trusted her!"_ In anger, his hand flies towards the cannon's controls. But just inches away, he freezes. _"I trusted her…when I didn't think that I could trust anyone. And even though she was a spy…she looked for me anyways."_

—–—

 _It wasn't that long ago she had found him. But somehow, at this moment, it felt like an eternity ago. "Aw yeah, baby!" Rouge the Bat had shouted. "This makes us a team!" Shadow ripped his hand away from the leather glove and metallic claws of his supposed 'teammates'. He turned to leave. "And where do you think_ you're _going?"_

 _Shadow stopped at the destroyed doorway, once again looking back at them through the corner of his eye, into the destroyed remains of the room in Eggman's facility where he had been held in stasis these past months. "I'm going to find answers. I don't want a 'team'."_

 _"Don't get all melancholy on me again, Shadow. We're all looking for Eggman, we can do it fastest together. Even_ you _must understand that much."_

 _"I don't know you." He resumed his walk. "So just stay out of my way."_

 _"Is that why you saved me?" Shadow froze once again. "You wake up here, no memories, nothing at all, and the very first thing you do is save my life, just like you did back on Prison Island! You may not remember, but deep down, you know. I'm your friend, Shadow. If you want answers, I can give you some."_

 _"I saved you because I owed you for waking me up. Consider that debt paid. That doesn't mean I trusted you, and I have no reason to trust you now."_

 _"You're right."_

 _This catches Shadow's attention enough to make him turn back to face them. "What?"_

 _"You don't have any reason to trust me. But I've been looking for you for a long time now, and now that I've found you, I'm not gonna let you just walk out. And as much as I wish I had some kind of proof, I don't. But I know someone who does. I'll bet if we go looking for Eggman, we'll run into Sonic."_

 _"Sonic…?"_

 _"Let us help you, Shadow. Let's find out what Eggman's up to, together."_

 _"…Fine." Shadow resumed his walk through the exit. "Just try to keep up."_

—–—

Black Doom's snarling voice rips Shadow away from the memory. "What are you waiting for, Shadow? Fire the cannon."

"Black Doom…there's something I have to know. Did you–"

"Silence! I will not tolerate disobedience! Fire the cannon, now!"

"But I–"

"NOW!"

Shadow's hand trembles over the console. He clenches his eyes and turns his head away as his fingers fall down on the activation key.

"Excellent…"

—–—

The President, resting his chin on a fist, looks down on the workers of the GUN control room from the Commander's chair. He lets out a sigh, knowing that every moment they remain silent is another moment without sign of victory. Suddenly, one of the workers turns from their station to look up at him. "Mr. President, sir, we're receiving a communication. Point of origin…space colony ARK."

"The ARK? Put it on screen."

"I…don't have a choice, sir." Suddenly, every screen in the room, including the large main viewer at the room's front, has its contents replaced by the same image of Black Doom.

"What in the world!?"

Black Doom's distorted drawl projects out from the viewer, "We are the Black Arms. We are here to take rule of this planet. Any attempts to resist are futile, and will result in death."

Another worker turns to the President. "Sir, we're getting reports that this message is being transmitted to every functioning screen on the planet. The entire world can hear this."

Black Doom continues, "You humans are _so_ pathetic."

"Sir, we're getting massive energy readings from the colony. It appears to be powering up." The entire room quickly becomes filled with chaos as workers all at once begin to relay off all sorts of information at once, attempting to be ensured of what's really going on.

The President tightly clenches a fist. "This can't be…"

Heedlessly, Doom's voice proceeds, "As of today…this planet is _mine_!"

The President shakes his head, speaking quietly under the clamor the room, "You're crazy. We will not…" He doesn't seem sure of how to finish the thought.

"Now, we will complete the extermination of all the world's leaders who resist."

One worker's report sounds loud over all of the others. "Sir, target lock confirmed! The Eclipse Cannon is pointing straight at us!"

The President is taken aback. "W-What!?"

Doom's voice grows ever louder. "Annihilation for what you know of this planet is near. It is time to embrace the dawn of your demise and despair."

The President shouts, "I want all of you out of here, right now! Begin emergency evacuation procedures!" The clamor in the room rises as sirens begin to sound. But one worker turns to the President once more.

"Sir…with all due respect, sir, we're staying right here. Until the end."

Another continues, "I've been ordered to gather information on the Black Comet. I can confirm that it's the aliens' base, and I'm preparing to transmit that information to the Commander now. But I need just a few more moments."

The President closes his eyes. "I am honored to call myself the leader of such brave men as yourselves."

Most of the workers in the room stand at attention from their stations, and one by one give a salute to the President. The last worker presses one final key, then does the same. "Transmission is complete. It's been an honor serving you, sir."

The President stands straight, and returns the salute with dignity.

—–—

High above, the Eclipse Cannon's outer casing folds open, revealing the intense green energy that charges within, concentrating in a sphere around the tip of the weapon. Then the cannon fires at the planet's surface. The beam of energy flies through the atmosphere, shreds apart the air fleet still hovering above the ground, and continues through the ground until it impacts the president's real escape pod, still parked on the helipad at the entrance to the base. From there, the energy radiates outwards, destroying everything in its path for miles around. Even with the base obliterated, Black Doom's maniacal laughter still echoes throughout the rest of the planet.


	5. Part 5: Apogee of Darkness

**Part 5: Apogee of Darkness**

The translucent reflection of one maroon eye can be seen glaring out of the window at the massive, glowing crater of destruction on the surface of the planet far below. A white-gloved fist pounds against the glass. "Damn it! We're too late."

Sonic slowly steps through the main bay of the small spaceship, to stand next to the Commander, and looks out through the same window. "I'm sorry," is all he manages to say.

The Commander turns to face Sonic. What was once his cyan eye has been covered by a thick, white medical eyepatch, wrapped around his head. Parts of the original cut still reach out past the edges of the patch. "Sorry you couldn't help me? Or sorry you failed to save the planet?"

"We haven't failed yet. Shadow needs _all_ of the Chaos Emeralds, that's what he said when we met in Westopolis." Sonic turns to look at the purple Chaos Emerald, which sits in a glass case behind them, appearing to power the ship. "Which means we still have one more shot."

"And where do you propose we take it? Shadow must be gone from here by now."

Sonic looks up, past the crater, past the ARK, to the comet that blazes past the planet in its usual slow arc. "The ship picked up a broad-spectrum transmission a couple of minutes ago. It was addressed to you." He pauses for a moment. "Your analysts at the base managed to figure out that the aliens come from _that_ comet. Before…" He trails off as he glances down at the crater again.

The Commander clenches a fist as he looks up to the slow-moving fireball. "The Black Comet. So that's where that monster has been hiding all this time."

Sonic lets out a brief chuckle. "Heh heh. I had a hunch that those black creatures were somehow connected to that comet."

"Once every 50 years, that comet passes over this planet. 50 years ago I saw that creature. 50 years later he returns. I should've thought of it."

"There's no use dwelling on it now. What we need is a plan. I say, we go at them with everything we've got, make as much noise as we can. If we're lucky, we can find a way to destroy that comet. If we aren't, Shadow finds us first, and we still get one last chance."

The Commander thinks for a while. "I need to make a transmission of my own."

Sonic points to a microphone on the ship's control console. "Comm's right over there."

The Commander steps up to the microphone and begins speaking. "This is the GUN High Commander, calling…anyone who can still hear me. I'm still alive. Things may look bleak, but the aliens haven't beaten us yet. We've confirmed that their base of operations is the Black Comet. We're heading there for one last battle. Any soldiers still surviving on the ARK or on the ground, if you can get there, go. We need all remaining mechs deployed as well. And bring me Diabolon. This is our last chance to destroy these 'Black Arms' once and for all. But we need your help." He steps back and nods to Sonic.

"Alright." Sonic steps up to the ship's controls. "Time to show these black creatures that we mean business. Next stop, Black Comet!"

The smoothly-designed red and silver shuttle turns its nose away from the space station, and its massive jet engines fire, sending it rocketing away.

—–—

Black Doom leads Shadow through a thickly-reinforced metal door, into an odd chamber surrounded on all sides by cylindrical green glass. The only notable feature within the chamber is some sort of pod, lying slightly angled from the ground, surrounded by all sorts of tubes and machinery. Shadow looks up to Doom. "Why have you taken me here?"

"Don't you recognize this chamber? It is important to your past." Shadow looks around for a while, but eventually shakes his head. "No matter. As I recall, you had a question for me. Now is your opportunity to ask."

Shadow closes his eyes. "Is it…is it true that you created me?"

Doom seems to take amusement in this, letting out another starling laugh. "Ha ha ha ha. So, you figured it out on your own, did you? Well, I would expect nothing less from _my_ bloodline."

"Your…bloodline?"

"That is correct. Fifty years ago, Professor Gerald created the Ultimate Life Form, using _my_ blood. Shadow…I am your father."

"What!?"

"It is time that you learned the full truth of what happened 50 years ago. You are a part of me, Shadow." Shadow, appearing confused and disoriented, puts a hand over his head. "Do you feel that? I can unlock the secrets of your mind. When I first learned of your amnesia, I was concerned that you may become disloyal. But you have proven your loyalty beyond doubt." Doom reaches towards Shadow's head with one hand. "Now…remember!" The tip of Doom's claw contacts Shadow's forehead, and Shadow cries out as his mind is infiltrated.

—–—

 _Memories, thoughts, images and sounds all assault the mind at once. People, places, ideas. Sonic, Maria, Amy, Gerald, Rouge. But one memory surfaced above all the others. It began in blackness._

 _Shadow suddenly opened his eyes with a start, trying to inhale. But there was no breathing. The pod was filled with green fluid. Fluid that was draining. Shadow strained his eyes to make out the blurry images on the outside. As the last of the fluid drained, the front of the pod popped open, and Shadow collapsed to his hands and knees on the floor in front, panting, finally breathing for the first time._

 _"It is good to see you awake at last, my son." Shadow looked up to meet the eyes of the speaker. Black Doom. Beside the black alien stood the white-garbed Professor Gerald Robotnik, staring without words at his creation._

 _Shadow began to struggle at first words. "I am…I am…who am I?"_

 _"Shadow…Shadow, my son…I must speak with you. Come with me." Doom turned and began to drift away. Shadow shakily rose to his feet, and slowly began to walk after him. The Professor followed, still without a word. None of them seemed to notice the child's pair of heterochromatic eyes that watched them from the other side of the door, terrified by the alien and the creature Black Doom created._

 _Shadow gasped as he stopped at the window by his alien progenitor. He put a hand up to the glass. Even reflected through his eyes, the brilliant blue luster of Earth could be clearly seen. "What is that…?"_

 _Black Doom glared at the planet as well, with an entirely different look in his eyes. "On the surface of that planet lies seven gems of ultimate power. The Chaos Emeralds."_

 _"Chaos…Emeralds…"_

 _"I do not have much time left here. The Black Comet will be departing soon."_

 _"Black…Comet?" Shadow looked up, noticing the fireball streaking high above the planet for the first time._

 _"Before I go, you must promise me something. When the day of reckoning comes, you will deliver the seven Chaos Emeralds to me."_

 _"I…I promise, father."_

 _The Professor looked down at his creation with equal pride and fear._

—–—

Shadow inhales sharply as he returns to his senses. "The promise…"

"Ah…so you remember at last…"

"That memory…it wasn't there before. It never was. I don't understand."

"Intriguing… It seems that the Professor attempted to tamper with your memories. Attempted to make you forget me. Perhaps that is why your memories have since been so fragile. It was a foolish mistake."

"There's…something else. Sonic the Hedgehog…he's…he's a greater threat than we realized."

Black Doom suddenly clutches at his head, letting out a grunt of discomfort.

"What wrong?"

Dooms opens his three eyes back up and looks down at Shadow. "You may be correct. It seems that we have a _vermin_ problem on the base. I expect you to return immediately to the Black Comet, and exterminate them."

Shadow nods. "I understand. But Sonic–"

"Silence. You will obey."

Shadow echoes, "I will obey…father."

—–—

The interior of the Black Comet is a place that can only be described as alien. Lit only by torches of blue fire and a number of organically-glowing structures, the walls themselves almost seem to be alive. Massive black and red tentacles sprout from the ground and the walls, writhing as if desperately reaching out for anything at all. Tunnels capped with heart-like valves pulsate inside with an intense white and purple light. Beneath and between the platforms of dry land lies countless gallons of a strange liquid that faintly glows red, purple, green and blue, and is most certainly toxic. Some particularly strange structures even seem to have beating organs inside of them.

Amidst this alien world, Shadow steps forward slowly, wielding easily in one hand a long gatling gun, several times his own size. Before him waits a massive squadron of GUN Trooper robots, headed by three mass-produced Big Foot models, all with weapons directed at Shadow.

Doom's Eye comments from behind, "So, the humans have decided to play their hand, have they? Go! Show them your true power, Shadow!"

"Hmph." Shadow pulls down on the trigger, letting loose a continuous stream of destruction from the powerful weapon in his hand, which shreds through every last robot in the path Shadow directs it along, until there's nothing left but smoke and a few scraps of metal. Shadow tosses the emptied weapon aside, and it clatters across the ground as he goes to pick up a new one from the rubble.

"Yes…show them how powerless they truly are!"

Another voice interjects, "Powerless? You hear that, Commander? The jellyfish with an eyeball just called _us_ powerless!"

Shadow picks up his new weapon, never turning to the source of the voice. "Sonic."

Sonic stands with his arms crossed in front of a giant red mech. The mech floats with no legs, but has two massive, powerful looking arms, and a single large eye-like structure on the front of its head. Small white print on each of the mech's arms reads "U78-X/D Diablon". Holding the purple Chaos Emerald in one hand, Sonic points accusingly with his other at Doom's Eye. "Why don't you come out of hiding and meet us face-to-face, Boss Man? We'll show you just how _'powerless'_ we are."

The voice of the Commander growls out at Sonic from the inside of the Diablon, "That wasn't part of the plan!"

Sonic answers back quietly, "We beat their leader, we can win this war." He finishes loudly enough for Shadow to hear, " _Shadow_ isn't as important."

Finally, Shadow turns angrily at Sonic. "I thought I told you to stay out of my way!"

"Yeah. And I told you to stay away from _that_ thing." Sonic again points at Doom's Eye. "I guess neither of us is very good at taking orders. Which makes me wonder why you're taking orders from a jellyfish!"

Shadow closes his eyes and clenches a fist. "You wouldn't understand."

"Is that what you told Tails before you attacked him? Or Knuckles, before you blasted him into a building? Or what you would've told Rouge, before you obliterated the military base!?" Shadow growls, and clenches even harder. "Shadow, I _want_ to understand. I _want_ to help you! But you have to talk to me!"

The Commander barks at Sonic, "Don't you get it!? That monster doesn't want to be helped! He's chosen his side! And he's ready to destroy us all!"

"Shadow…why are you siding with those black creatures?"

"It's because…it's what I have to do."

"You don't have to do anything, Shadow! You have your own free will! You don't have to live for anyone else! You can help people, you can do whatever you think is right! I thought you already learned that!"

"You're wrong! These humans don't deserve help! They don't value life, I've seen it with my own eyes! I've relived it over and over again! Even the innocent don't understand! This is what I was born to do, Sonic. I can bring order to this planet." Shadow closes his eyes again. "Just hand over the Emerald, Sonic. You don't have to be a part of this."

Sonic shakes his head. "I can't let you go, Shadow. Not like this."

"I don't want it to come to this, Sonic. But if you try to stop me…I'll destroy you, too."

"If that's how it's gonna be, Shadow…" Sonic raises his fists "…then bring it on!"

Doom's Eye commands, "Enough fooling around! Shadow, finish them!"

The Diablon bangs its metal fists together, and some sort of yellow ray shield raises around the mech. "This is for my family, and for Maria! I'll settle this once and for all!"

Sonic dashes towards Shadow at top speed. Even with a bulky weapon in hand, Shadow still nimbly dives out of Sonic's path and runs for the Diablon instead. He lifts the huge, fresh gatling gun and opens fire as he runs, aiming for the center of the mech. But each and every bullet seems to bounce harmlessly off of the ray shield. Realizing this quickly, Shadow drops the weapon back down to his side and keeps moving in for a direct attack instead.

"Take this!" The Diablon unleashes a bright blue laser beam from its head module, sweeping it across in an attempt to cut Shadow down. As it does, its shield temporarily goes down. Shadow just barely slides underneath the beam, then leaps up for his own attack. He gasps and looks over his shoulder, a moment too late to avoid being struck by Sonic from behind, and knocked out of the air.

Shadow manages to land in a sliding crouch, quickly shaking off the hit.

Sonic gives a chuckle. "Face it, Shadow. You can't beat both of us. Just give it up, and we can talk about this."

Doom's Eye whispers into Shadow's ear, "This is your opportunity, Shadow. You can use their supposed advantage as your own. Use their numbers against them."

Shadow runs back in, this time attempting to leap over Sonic. When Sonic tries to attack him from underneath, he curls into a ball himself, and the collision sends him flying upwards far higher into the air. The Diablon fires another laser, but completely misses its mark, leaving its shield down for Shadow to fire through from the air. The bullets tear holes and rip off metal plating from the mech before the shield finally comes back up just as Shadow lands back on the ground.

Sonic gets back up to his feet. "Ugh. Not bad, Shadow. But the fun's just getting started!"

The Commander agrees, "Charge complete! Now it's time to end this!" The Diablon begins to pulsate with glowing red energy.

Doom warns, "That machine has a powerful energy-charger weapon. Bait him into drawing his attack!"

Shadow wordlessly charges back in once again. The Commander chuckles menacingly. A wide circle of strange bright particles start to rise out of the ground around all three combatants. Shadow suddenly skids to a halt and sprints the opposite way, just as the Diablon crosses its arms and Commander starts to shout, "Antimatter cannon, _fire_!"

Shadow crosses the border of particles as the Diablon unleashes a massive energy wave. He doesn't even have to look behind himself as he turns and delivers a powerful kick right into Sonic's chest, sending him flying back into the Diablon's blast, while he remains just outside of it. When the energy fades, the mech's shields are still down, giving Shadow the chance to open fire from the ground, this time until his weapon is completely emptied. He tosses it to the side as the Diablon crashes to the ground, its hovering mechanisms apparently destroyed. Its shield flickers on and off as if similarly damaged.

Sonic struggles back to his feet once again. He looks up to the Diablon and shouts angrily, "Whaddaya think you're doing!? We're supposed to be allies here!"

The Commander barks back, "You aren't being much help yourself!"

Shaking his head, Sonic leaps at Shadow for another attack.

Shadow slides underneath him, continuing to charge at the Diablon. Apparently without weapons systems as well, the mech tries to swat at Shadow with its massive arms. "Hold still, you devil!" Shadow easily avoids the attack, and leaps up to strike at the mech's head module. He pounds against it, over and over again, causing greater damage each time, until Sonic finally manages to knock him away.

"Heh. You're pretty good. But now, playtime's over."

Shadow, back on the ground, begins to spark and pulsate with his own crimson energy. "I agree." In a flash, Shadow dashes between the Diablon and Sonic, shouting, "Hrgh! Death to all who oppose me!" Sonic gasps, realizing all too late what's about to happen. "Chaos _Blast_!" The intense explosion that Shadow unleashes shreds what remains of the Diablon to pieces, and sends Sonic flying back to the ground.

The Commander, now seen with a more traditional black eyepatch, struggles to get back up from the rubble of his machine. "No… I have… failed…" He collapses back to the ground.

Shadow steps up to the rubble of the machine, and claims from it its power source, the crimson red Chaos Emerald. He looks down on the Commander with contempt. "Mere humans cannot stop me."

Collapsed on the ground, Sonic still holds his own purple Chaos Emerald in one hand. He struggles just to reach up with that hand, before Shadow's foot comes down on his blue, bandaged arm, pinning it to the ground. He rips the Emerald from Sonic's hand, and lets it drift up into orbit around him, joined by the Commander's red, and, one by one, the rest of the seven. "Finally…I've got _all_ the Chaos Emeralds."

"Shadow…what are you going to do with them?"

The sound in Sonic's voice causes Shadow to hesitate, as he looks across the seven gemstones that slowly orbit him. Doom's Eye seems to have disappeared. Shadow looks down to his own hands. "I…am Shadow the Hedgehog." He clenches his hands into fists. "I was created…to bring order and justice to the humans." He drops his hands down to his sides. "With the power of these Emeralds, that's exactly what I'm going to do! _This_ is _who I am_!"

The full figure of Black Doom rises from the ground in front of Shadow, as if he were some sort of ghost. "Excellent work, Shadow. Our Ritual can now commence as planned. Give me the Chaos Emeralds."

Sonic pleas from the ground, "Don't do it, Shadow… Don't give them to him."

The ground suddenly shakes as something massive lands behind them. "Shadow!"

Shadow turns with confusion to the disturbance. "Doctor?"

Doctor Eggman sits in the cockpit of a large four-legged mech of his own, with three large panels on its front, each connected to a large button. The Egg Dealer. Inside, Eggman shouts, "Hand those seven Chaos Emeralds to me! You aren't what Black Doom says you are!"


	6. Part 6: Punishment…

**Part 6: Punishment…**

The streets of Westopolis are barren and empty. Few windows on the massive skyscrapers are still intact. Streets are torn open, revealing great fissures with no bottom. What few stoplights still stand flash endlessly on red. A stray paper blows through the air on a gust of wind. Slowly, it drifts down until it settles onto the cracked concrete. The newspaper headline reads, "Fire in the Sky Festival! 50 year return of the Black Comet! Best View Tonight!"

High in the dim sky above, a brilliant crimson light drifts across at an almost unnoticeable pace.

—–—

Shadow stands over the wreckage of what was once the Egg Dealer, and the collapsed form of the Doctor who had been piloting it. He stutters from the ground, "Sh-shadow, please! You must listen to me!"

"I'm tired of listening to you, Doctor. You're a fat old fool who does nothing but babble." Eggman can't help but glance down at his own midsection. "I should just put you out of your misery."

Eggman quickly shakes off what Shadow said before. "But you _aren't_ Shadow the Hedgehog!"

This is enough to cause Shadow to freeze up. "Wh…what?"

"That's right. Don't you remember? The real Shadow the Hedgehog died restoring the ARK to its orbit. _You_ are his copy. The very first Shadow Android."

"Shadow…Android? Am I…?"

"Yes… You are not Black Doom's creation, you are mine."

"No… I don't believe you…"

"You don't sound so certain. Don't you remember, Shadow? Don't you remember how you _died_? Don't you remember that little prototype you found?"

Shadow clenches his eyes shut. He remembers perfectly.

—–—

 _A toy head bearing the more classic appearance of Dr. Eggman sprang out of the chest cavity of Eggman's destroyed robotic duplicate. It bobbed around on its spring, letting out a continuous looping recording of Eggman's mocking laughter. Omega lifted a clawed fist, trembling in robotic rage at being fooled._

 _But Shadow was far too occupied with the figure on the floor not far away. Severed in half at the hips, the exposed wires and crumpled metal shards of the Shadow Android flung constant sparks as Shadow stared at it._

 _Rouge grimaced and looked away at the sight. "Shadow…?"_

 _Shadow calmly spun around on the ground, waving the other two to come along. "Let's go." He skated off, his teammates following behind._

 _But as she ran along behind him, Rouge muttered quietly, "Does that mean Shadow…is a robot?"_

 _Shadow muttered something for himself. "I have to find the truth…no matter what it takes."_

—–—

Eggman continues, "You may have betrayed me before, but now's your chance to redeem yourself! Obey your creator! Destroy Black Doom!"

Black Doom lets out a demonic laughter in amusement. "Listen, Shadow. The fool actually believes he can deceive you." Doom wraps a gnarled hand around one of the many trinkets dangling from his attire, a star-shaped charm with a green gemstone in the center, resembling the shape of Doom's Eye. With a tug, he rips it free from its place around his neck, and offers it out to Shadow. The sharpest point on its bottom glints in the odd alien light. "Take it. Show him how feeble his attempt at deception truly is."

Hesitantly, Shadow takes the charm in one hand. The other, he holds out in front of him, so he can clearly see the back. Suddenly, he takes the sharp point of the charm, and drags it across the back of his hand, hard enough to tear through the fabric of the glove, and draw up a thin line of crimson blood. He holds up the hand for all to see. "I am no android. Did you really think you could fool me so easily, Doctor?"

"Uh–… I–… But–… You–"

"Shut up. You're nothing but a joke. You'll never be anything but a joke, so just stop pretending. Never show your face around me again." Eggman flinches away from the harsh words. He looks down at himself, completely silenced.

Black Doom chuckles softly. "Well done, Shadow. Now…give me the Chaos Emeralds, so we may–"

A familiar interrupting voice shouts from afar, "Shadow!"

Shadow immediately looks up at the sound of the voice. "That's impossible!"

"Don't look so surprised…Shadow…" A figure limps out through the shadows of the hallway behind them. "You should know by now…" Clutching at her arm, covered in burns and bruises, Rouge limps into the dim light. "…I don't give up so easily." Tails, still wearing his goggles and toolbelt, and Amy, wearing unusual gloves with long purple sleeves reaching up to her elbows, run in behind her.

Sonic struggles to stand up from his place on the ground. "Tails… Amy… No… You shouldn't be here…"

Shadow growls angrily, "What are you doing here!?"

Rouge finally stops, glaring at him from a short distance away. "I'm here to stop you, Shadow. You've already gone too far. The President is dead. I barely made it out with my life. Think about what you're doing, Shadow!"

Shadow takes a step back. "I… I…"

"Yes, you! Look at yourself! This isn't who you are, Shadow! All this killing, all this destruction, how can you be the cause of it!?"

Amy steps forward. "You can't give the Emeralds to him, Shadow."

Tails adds, "He's planning to destroy the planet!"

Black Doom laughs once again. "Hahahaha… Ignorant fools. We're here to save the humans from their own demise. We offer…salvation."

Shadow clenches his eyes shut. "The humans' greed…their thirst for power…they're on a path to self-destruction. I was there, I've seen it with my own eyes. They'll destroy this planet, it's only a matter of time. We're here to save this planet from them. Save them from themselves! Under our order, they'll be able to live out their lives in peace."

Rouge starts to limp towards Shadow once again. "Shadow…listen to yourself. What you're talking about…is slavery." She steps ever closer. "If she heard you now…what would Maria think?"

"DON'T YOU _DARE_ SPEAK HER NAME!" Just as she reaches him, Shadow strikes her with all of his monstrous strength, sending her crashing back into one of the patterned stone walls of the Black Comet's interior. She collapses to the floor a moment later.

Amy rushes in to help her. She crouches down to try and help her up. But Rouge seems, at best, unconscious. Amy looks to Shadow with fear. "What's happened to you, Shadow? People are good, don't you remember? Don't they deserve a chance?"

Shadow shows no remorse in his eyes. "I'm the only chance they have."

Sonic shouts, "No!" He's risen to his feet, and limps towards Shadow much as Rouge did. "Just give me the Chaos Emeralds, Shadow… It's not too late… We can fix this, together!"

"Why won't you just give up already?"

"I'll never give up, Shadow. Not on a friend. I made a promise, Shadow. I promised that I would save you." He pulls out something, and offers it out to Shadow as he draws closer. It's a small gold ring. Shadow's ring. "This is yours, Shadow. I want you to take it." He finally stops, the ring in his hand just a short distance out from Shadow.

"You…you're…"

"I haven't given up on you, Shadow. And I don't want you to give up, either."

With a trembling hand, Shadow slowly reaches out, and carefully grasps his fingers around the ring. "I…I won't give up." He pulls the ring away from Sonic, and holds it up close to his own face. "I won't stop." He suddenly crushes the ring in his hand. When he uncurls his fingers, the broken pieces of the inhibiting device tumble to the ground. "Not until we control this world." He turns and strikes Sonic in the chest, knocking him back.

Sonic barely manages to land on his feet. It seems that the blow was much more restrained than Shadow's last. But, still too weak, he collapses to his hands and knees anyways. He looks to the broken pieces of the ring on the ground. "Shadow…"

Shadow looks up to Black Doom. "I've had enough of this. Let's start the Ritual of Prosperity!" He holds out his arms, and the seven Chaos Emeralds begin to circle around him once again.

Black Doom lets out yet another laugh, apparently having remained amused all this time. "Hahahaha… Excellent. Let us begin." He extends out a hand, drawing the Chaos Emeralds towards himself. As they move out of their perfect orbit, they start to mix around each other in a chaotic amalgam. "Chaos…" He lifts up his arm, and dramatically sweeps it out in front of him. "Control!" He becomes cloaked in a massive green flash of pulsating light, which expands ever wider envelop more and more. Shadow smirks as the blinding light washes over him.

—–—

The Black Comet has nearly left from its temporary orbit around Earth, no longer cloaked in the bright fireball that was visible as it skimmed through the atmosphere. All that is left to be seen is its gnarled black surface, and the long alien tendrils that trail behind it. But in an instant, the comet fades away, leaving behind a soft green glow.

In the hazy red city of Westopolis on the surface of the planet far below, the Comet reappears in the same green haze, its great length spanning beyond the entire city as it sets down. As it approaches the ground, more tendrils shoot out from every side of the Comet's surface, tearing through buildings and burrowing deep into the asphalt-covered ground.

—–—

Tails looks around in confusion. "What was that? What just happened?"

Sonic pants, "Those Black Creatures… …just warped the Comet down to the surface… …using Chaos Control…"

Amy looks to the duo of Shadow and Black Doom in confusion. "No… That's impossible…"

Shadow looks up to the swirling cluster of Chaos Emeralds with interest. "So… _That's_ what you needed the Chaos Emeralds for."

Black Doom chuckles briefly. "Precisely. The comet's velocity isn't powerful enough to pass through another planet's atmosphere. The Emeralds _amplify_ the space-time control powers of Chaos Control. We needed them to bring the Comet's power down to the planet. It's the perfect plan."

"That's why you needed the Professor to help you… The Comet would never pass for long enough to allow you to gather all seven Emeralds on your own. You needed someone to do that part for you…someone who would follow your orders without question."

"The Professor was in development of the Ultimate Life Form…but he needed my help. It was the perfect opportunity to execute the plan I already had in place. So we made a deal. And you've done an excellent job holding up you end of it."

Eggman mutters, "That's insane…"

Shadow continues, "But what happens now that the Comet is on the surface?"

Sonic suddenly shouts, "It doesn't matter!" Everyone turns to look at him. He's begun moving towards Shadow again. "We can't just stand here doing nothing. If you won't help us, Shadow…we'll take on Black Doom ourselves!"

Amy readies her hammer for a fight. Even Tails looks ready for action. They all move to converge on Shadow and Black Doom. Doom laughs, as if to invite their approach. Shadow looks between them with a bit more concern.

But suddenly, Tails stops moving. He glances around in confusion for a few moments. "Sonic…?"

Sonic reaches out for him. "Tails! What's wrong!?" He tries to put his arm back down, to move in and help Tails. But he can't. He struggles as hard as he can, but doesn't move at all. "Unggh!"

Amy puts a hand up to her mouth, gasping. But she can't seem to take it away again. Even Eggman wears a scowl, unable to move like all the others.

Doom laughs even louder. "This is a special weapon…a nerve gas, which, once released into the air, is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. In a short time, total paralysis will hit your nervous system. In a matter of hours, the gas will spread through the planet's entire atmosphere, making any further resistance impossible. The end is near, now… Hahahahaha."

The three assailants taken care of, Shadow starts to turn back to Black Doom. But he can't. "I…I can't…move…"

"You are wrong, Shadow."

"What…?"

"The same blood runs through our veins. You have the power to overcome the gas. Kneel before me now, Shadow, and I will share with you the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Pledge your loyalty to me, and help me conquer this world. Help me, Shadow."

Shadow clenches his eyes shut. In another time, in another place, he might have risen to his feet from the ground. But here and now, he struggles to turn the rest of the way, and drops slowly down to his knees. "I am Shadow the Hedgehog. I've left my past behind me." He closes his eyes. "And I pledge my loyalty to the Black Arms. I will help you, Black Doom."

"I gave you life, Shadow…" Black Doom drawls. "…and now…you are bringing life back to our entire civilization. The Black Arms will finally live again, not as refugees on a Comet, but as rulers of the entire planet. And it's all thanks to you, Shadow…"

Shadow rises back to his feet from his kneeling position. "This world would have been destroyed. But now it can be our home. I will do whatever I can to protect it from the humans."

Sonic, still frozen in place, cries, "You're wrong! How could you have it so backwards, Shadow!? You're not protecting the world, you're destroying it!"

Shadow doesn't answer him, instead asking to Black Doom, "What will become of _them_?"

Doom ponders for a moment. "Hmmm… These fools who seek to destroy me will be fed to my offspring." As if on cue, a cluster of throbbing and pulsating Black Leech larvae crawl in from behind him. But they wait for an order beneath him.

Shadow can't hide his grimace at the thought.

Black Doom beckons, "Come, Shadow. It is time to conquer this world, and burn down all who stand in our way." He waves out his arm once again, instantly disappearing in a flash of green light. Left in his place, his robes and sash and all his trinkets fall to the ground. Yet still his voice continues to emanate from everywhere at once, _"Take the Emeralds now, and join me in our conquest."_

Shadow clenches his fists, letting all his rage flow through him, as the Emeralds left behind by Black Doom begin to circle him once again. "Those heartless humans who stand in our way…I'll destroy them all!"


	7. Part 7: …Thy Name is Ruin

**Part 7: …Thy Name is Ruin**

As his fist begins to tremble, the Emeralds begin to circle Shadow faster and tighter. But something is different. A blazing red aura blows through him. The Emeralds themselves tremble in their orbit, breaking away only to be violently pulled back in. He crosses his arms, then opens his eyes as he unfolds them again, and seven dull grey Emeralds are blasted outwards in a shockwave. Though his fur has taken on a golden hue, the crimson aura still radiates intensely around him. The drained Emeralds clatter to the ground as Shadow's feet lift into the air.

Shadow looks up to the blackness above, preparing to soar out from the Comet.

"Oh no you don't!" Sonic's foot falls loudly to the floor.

Super Shadow turns his head sharply in surprise. "What!?"

With slow, jerking movements, Sonic struggles to lift his back leg up, and slam it back down to the floor in front of him. He pants heavily with every movement. But he does move.

Amy shouts with surprise, "He's moving! How is that possible!?"

Tails answers, "The gas might be thinning out. But…I still can't move."

The voice of Black Doom growls, _"Grrr… Devour him, my offspring."_ At his command, the Black Leeches swarm out, around Shadow, all preparing to converge on Sonic. _"Shadow…come to me!"_

Shockingly, Shadow disobeys, carefully watching every one of Sonic's excruciatingly slow steps.

Sonic growls through gritted teeth, "I told you, Shadow… …I won't let you go like this. I'll… …save you from yourself… …if that's what I have to do." He winces in intense pain as the first Leech latches on to his ankle, feasting on the blood that it starts to drain out from him. But still, he keeps walking, one step at a time.

Super Shadow stares at him, his face betraying no emotion. "It doesn't matter that you can move. It doesn't matter if you have all the willpower in the world. You will die like all the others. There's nothing you can do now."

"Isn't there?" He winces again as another leech latches on. "You may try… …to ignore your past… …to forget… …the people who care about you. …What they tried to teach you. …But me? I… …learn from my past. And here… …is a little trick I picked up… …before you came around."

"What are you talking about?"

Each step seems to be a greater and greater struggle. "Thing is… …when you took the power of the Chaos Emeralds… …you did it through hatred and rage. …You drained… …all of the negative energy."

Tails suddenly shouts, "I get it! Of course!"

Amy seems to understand as well. "We believe in you, Sonic!"

Rouge, stuck lying on the ground, struggles to open her eyes. "Sonic…you're our only hope now…"

Sonic's next step smashes down onto a Leech, flattening it, and sending green goop spewing out. He stands just a few feet off from the imposing figure of Super Shadow. He holds out two open hands. "As long as I keep my heart open… …I can bring out their positive energy." From their places on the ground, each Emerald takes on a brilliant gleam. "And there is no way I can lose." Without ever lifting from their places, the Emeralds flash blindingly bright, making it completely impossible to see. A shockwave bursts out from him, blasting away the Leeches at his feet. When the light fades, Super Sonic floats face to face with Super Shadow. "You will see." The long white bandages wrapped up his arms flutter gently as if by an unseen breeze.

Shadow's scowl slowly transforms into a smirk. "You never cease to surprise me, blue hedgehog."

"What can I say? I die hard."

"You will. You can't beat us both."

"Wanna test that theory?"

"No. I want you to give this up."

"Well, then I guess we're both disappointments." With sudden burst of speed, Sonic shoots up from the ground.

With a growl, Shadow follows close behind.

Sonic's friends all cheer after him.

—–—

The GUN Commander limps over the outside surface of the Black Comet, clutching at an apparent wound in his arm. He wears some sort of translucent gas mask over his mouth and nose, seeming to protect him from the nerve gas. The highest crumbling skyscrapers of the city can still be seen, even from this height. But in front of him, perched on the comet, looms a monstrous figure. Devil Doom has grown massive demonic wings, and a pair of gargoyle-like heads situated on opposite sides between his long, muscular arms.

"I can't rely on anyone else." The Commander slowly draws his pistol as he walks. "I was saving this for Shadow…but his creator will do just as well."

"What's this?" With his closest one-eyed head, Devil Doom glares down at the measly approaching human. "A parasite of this world who wishes to challenge me?"

"You'll never have this world." Without flinching, the Commander points his gun up to the creature's one large eye. "Die, you damn alien!" He pulls down on the trigger, firing off shot after shot.

Devil Doom swings one wing around to protect his eye and laughs as the bullets seem to bounce harmlessly off.

The Commander's gun clicks as he continues to pull the trigger without any ammunition remaining.

"Ha ha ha ha ha. Such bravado, for a little human. It will almost be a shame to kill you. Almost." Not bothering with any special powers, Devil Doom swipes out with one massive hand. There's a sickening crunch as the hand strikes its target. The limp body that remains is sent flying, tumbling away through the air, out beyond the side of the Comet, to fall to the streets below. "Foolish human."

—–—

"Vector…are you in yet!?" Charmy Bee incessantly pulls at Vector's shoulder as he works at the ARK computer console.

Vector, still wearing his black leather jacket, but apparently having removed his usual headphones, puts a hand over Charmy's face and pushes him back. "Quiet, Charmy!" He continues to type with his free hand. "We need to focus! If we don't hurry, all the data we recovered will be lost. It would all be for nothing…"

The two of them are the only ones in the room. There is no Espio to be seen.

While Vector works, he mutters, "This danger-packed detective work is exhausting. Maybe I'm more cut out for TV…"

Charmy finally escapes from Vector's grasp, taking a deep breath in. "That's it, I'll do it! Get out of the way!" He flies straight at the console.

Vector shouts after him, "Get back here, you idiot!" He's much too late to stop Charmy from slamming into the computer with the full force of his shoulder, causing a loud crash.

Suddenly, the diamond-shaped screen above the console lights up with static. They look to each other in surprise, simultaneously echoing, "Hey, it's working!"

They watch on in interest as the static solidifies into an image of the white-coated Professor Gerald Robotnik. Solemnly, he begins to speak. _"Shadow, my son…"_

—–—

Super Sonic blasts out as a brilliant golden streak through the top of the Black Comet. But Shadow is less than a moment behind him. They collide in the air an instant later, grappling for dominance. They separate for just a moment, only for Shadow to streak back in with another attack. They swirl around each other at untraceable speed, striking at every available instant, producing a blinding flash each time they collide.

Devil Doom growls, "Shadow! What is this!?"

Shadow slams Sonic down onto the surface of the Comet, pinning him there with one hand. "I warned you about this one. He's more dangerous than you know."

Sonic smirks on the ground. "You got that right." The speed of his kick is enough to create a sonic boom as it impacts Shadow square in the chest, sending him flying back, giving Sonic the room to leap back into the air. But instead of heading for Shadow, Sonic turns and flies straight towards Devil Doom. He repeats to himself, "If I can take out the leader, I can end this."

Devil Doom's laugh booms over the city. "I was content to see you destroyed by your so-called friend, hedgehog. But if you wish to witness my true wrath…" He roars, holding his arms out wide. From the ground far below, hundreds of chunks of rubble, and even entire pieces of destroyed skyscrapers, lift up from the city, raised by some psychic power, all circling in a protective bubble around Devil Doom. "Have it your way." One by one, the massive pieces of rubble are sent flying towards Sonic. He elegantly weaves and dives his way around the projectiles, reaching ever closer to his target. He looks back for only a moment. Shadow is close on his tail. By the time he looks forward again, an entire building is hurtling towards him. Too late to dodge, he picks up his speed, and drills straight through the center, blowing the building to pieces, barely slowing him down at all. But Devil Doom is waiting on the other side, blowing out a massive stream of fire that not only stops Sonic, but knocks him back in the direction he came. Shadow is there behind him, striking him in the back, knocking him back down to the surface of the comet.

Sonic quickly gets back to his feet. But Shadow is already there, forcing him back to the ground, holding him there by the throat. With no words left to say, each looks into the other's eyes.

 _"Shadow, my son…"_

Shadow looks up with surprise. "Professor…?"

In the air all around them, holographic screens are projected above the Comet by some unknown alien technology, duplicated over and over, all showing the same footage. " _If you're listening to this, then the worst has happened. You need to know the truth…"_

Unconsciously, Shadow loosens his grip. But Sonic looks no more interested in escaping than Shadow does in holding him there.

 _"The government plans to shut down this research facility…to cease all of our research…and imprison all who know about you. I made a terrible mistake, Shadow. It's all my fault…making contact with that comet."_

Devil Doom lets out another booming laugh. "The old fool never rests, does he? What does he hope to accomplish?"

" _Now listen very carefully… In 50 years, the Black Comet will return…they plan to harness its powers to destroy this planet. The only way to stop them…was to develop a way to use the very power they intended to use, against them…"_

—–—

Tails, Amy, Rouge, and Eggman, all still frozen in the Comet, watch as the message continues on similar screens.

 _"Shadow…it's up to_ you _. Only_ you _can stop them. I developed the Eclipse Cannon…it's the only weapon that can destroy the Black Comet."_

Eggman grumbles quietly, "I could've come up with that…"

Rouge questions slowly, "Do you think…Shadow will listen?"

Amy doesn't answer for a moment. But finally, she responds, "He has to."

Tails can't help but comment, "What if he doesn't?"

—–—

 _"Shadow…you are the only hope to save mankind as we know it. The future of this planet depends on…you!"_

Suddenly, the young Maria Robotnik appears on the screen beside her grandfather. _"Don't worry, grandfather. Shadow and I will protect this planet. Right, Shadow?"_

Sonic looks up to Shadow from the ground. "You see, Shadow? This isn't what they wanted for you. This isn't who you are."

Shadow closes his eyes. A soft smile appears on his face as he lets out a brief chuckle.

Sonic smiles as well.

Shadow's chuckle builds into a laugh. But not a very friendly one. Unable to control himself any longer, Shadow begins to laugh hysterically, completely overcome by his own amusement. "Was this supposed to change something!?"

Sonic gasps.

"Was I supposed to get down on my knees and beg for forgiveness just because a couple of _humans_ who died fifty years ago told me that I'm special? Ah ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Shadow…they're your family…"

"Not anymore! The Black Arms are the only family that I have left! And I won't let them suffer any longer! This planet is ours!"

Devil Doom laughs in agreement. "Good, Shadow. Now…finish him."

Shadow tightens his grip on Sonic's throat, and draws back his other hand in preparation to strike. He glares down at Sonic with malice.

Sonic looks back up to him calmly. The golden glow of his fur seems to fade in and out as he struggles for air. Still, with restrained breath, he invites, "Go ahead, then. Do it, if that's who you really are." Shadow hesitates for a moment longer. "You can't, can you?"

Shadow looks from his free hand to Sonic, and back up again. He closes his eyes. Then he relaxes. "You're right. I can't."

Devil Doom growls, "What treachery is this?"

Sonic manages to smile again. "You see? I–"

Shadow snaps, "Let me finish. You probably think…that I've become the greatest evil you've ever faced…don't you? Well…I'm not. I'm not the bad guy. I'm trying to save an entire race, I'm trying to save my family, don't you see that?"

"At the expense of an entire planet full of people?"

"You don't have to agree with me. You don't have to…'join' me. But if you give me a chance…I know I can show you that I'm doing the right thing."

"Shadow…"

"You told me…that friends don't give up on each other. No matter what. That there's no other way. You tried to save my life, knowing that it meant risking yours. I can't forget that." Shadow lets go, and stands up. "You didn't give up on me. So…I'm not giving up on you now." He offers down a hand.

Super Sonic looks up at the hand in total confusion. Then he closes his eyes. Slowly, his expression turns to a scowl, as he bears his teeth with a growl. "Your idea of 'friendship' brings _shame_ on all hedgehog kind. I'm done with you." In a flash, he strikes Shadow in a ball, knocking him away before jetting off in the opposite direction. Shadow pursues just a moment later.

They both pick up speed, faster and faster, farther and farther away from the Comet. The air ripples around them. "Where do you think you're going, _Sonic_!?"

Sonic glances over his shoulder as he picks up more and more speed. "Geez, clingy much? Just stay back, Shadow." Something about his voice seems somehow different.

"You think that I need you!? I don't need anyone! You can take your damn friendship straight to hell!" The landscape around them becomes an indiscernible blur as they fly still faster.

"You're going to regret saying that. This'll be over soon enough. I've got the entire Earth on my side."

"No…" Shadow redoubles his effort to catch up as he seems to realize what Sonic is planning. Land gives way to ocean, giving way to land even more quickly.

Devil Doom stood no chance. Before there was ever any sign of his approach from the opposite side of the Earth, the single golden streak of Super Sonic had already blasted straight through the alien overlord, silhouetting the monstrous creature against a blinding light as he rammed into one head and out of the other.

Though Shadow can't be seen, his cry of anguish can be heard with perfect clarity. _"NOOOO!"_

With a mighty crash, the massive creature falls to the ground.

Sonic settles gently onto the tip of the comet, facing what little remains of Black Doom. "This is the end for you."

The blinded creature moans, "How…is this possible…?"

"Didn't you know? The light always outshines the darkness. And evil losers like you never win." Sonic turns out to overlook the city from the top of the Comet. "Only one thing left to do." He leaps from the top, and soars around to the bottom, the air rippling around him. Once there, he pushes up against it with his hands and shoulders. "Time to bring the boom. Chaos…Control!" He clenches his eyes shut, as the entire Comet is encompassed by his golden light. In a flash, it all disappears, leaving the city silent and empty.

In a similar golden flash, the Black Comet reappears high in Earth orbit, trailing its long tendrils behind it. The small point of light that is Sonic can be seen separating from it, soaring out beyond the curvature of the Earth, and out of sight. With no air resistance to slow him down this time, he quickly orbits the entire planet, and comes back for another pass, faster each time, until he appears as nothing more than than a golden ring that encircles the entire Earth. Then he diverts his course, impacting the Black Comet at nothing short of lightspeed. The great alien world explodes in an instant, sending chunks of rock flying in every direction. Sonic crosses his arms triumphantly in the center of the chaos. "Hmph. Cannon? I like my canon better."

—–—

The skies over Westopolis seem to have grown a little bit brighter.

Shadow, the power of the Emeralds long since gone, kneels down in the streets, clutching in his hands the limp form of Doom's Eye. He doesn't seem able to say or do anything.

 _"Shadow…"_

Shadow looks up with surprise. "Father?"

The weak, faint voice continues to speak directly into his mind. _"Shadow…you are…the supreme being…destined to rule the universe… You are…the immortal life form… You are…the ultimate power… The Black Arms…live on…in you…"_

"Father? Father, speak to me! Father!" Shadow's head hangs down. A single tear splashes to the ground.

"This is the side you chose, Shadow. These are the consequences."

Shadow tenses up as he realizes that Sonic is standing there behind him.

Sonic, blue again, holds something in his hand, which he seems to have taken from the wreckage of the Comet. The long brown sash that was once worn by Black Doom. Though Shadow doesn't look at him, he holds it out as if for Shadow to see. "Let this be a reminder to you, Shadow." Sonic takes the sash, and begins to wrap it slowly around his own neck. "Every time you look at me…" He firmly ties off his new scarf. "…remember that you chose wrong." With the brown scarf, the blue fur and white bandages that cover the burns on his arms, and the messy, unkempt spikes on his head, his new look is quite complete.

Shadow begins to tremble, though he says nothing. He clenches a fist hard enough to draw fresh blood from the mark on the back of his hand.

"Goodbye, Shadow." Sonic turns to walk away.

"He was the only family I had left…and you took him away from me…"

Sonic stops for just a moment. But he never turns back.

"You'll pay for this, Sonic. I'm not just going to destroy you. I'm going to make you watch as I destroy everything you've ever cared about!" He finally turns on Sonic in a fury. "Then, and only then, will you understand what you've done to me! And when I'm done with you, I'm going to destroy this whole damn planet! You'll pay, Sonic the Hedgehog! Do you hear me!? _YOU'LL PAY_!" This outburst seems to take out everything that Shadow has left, as he drops down onto his hands.

Sonic never stops, as he walks out of sight.

His friends are waiting for him, not far away. Tails and Amy both cheer, "Sonic!" They run up to greet him.

But Sonic doesn't seem so excited. His expression, which was confident not long ago, has grown blank and empty.

Amy questions with concern, "Sonic…what's wrong?"

Tails reassures, "It's over now. The Black Comet is destroyed! We won, Sonic!"

Sonic closes his eyes. "It doesn't feel that way… I thought he was our friend…"

Rouge speaks up for the first time. "Forget him. He's not worth your trouble."

Sonic thinks on that for a moment. "You're probably right. What will you do now, Rouge?"

"Well…I guess I'm the leader of GUN, now. What's left of it, anyways. That'll keep me busy for a good long time. What about you?"

"I…I don't know. I don't know…what I can do. I don't know…who I can trust. Can I trust anyone…ever again?"

Tails objects, "Of course you can! Look, I have an idea. Let's go somewhere. We'll find some…faraway island. You, and me, and we'll bring Knuckles, help him recover. No one but you and your best friends, people you can trust no matter what else happens. You won't have to think about anyone else."

"That…that sounds nice…"

Amy puts a hand on his shoulder. "I'll come, too…a-as a friend."

Sonic smiles. "I'd like that."

Eggman peeks out from his hiding place in a nearby alleyway. "So, Team Sonic is going on a little island vacation, eh? Sounds like fun…for me, that is." He chuckles deviously as he rubs his hands together in front of his torn jacket.

—–—

Shadow still kneels down, alone in the streets. But now, he holds something in his hand. The star-shaped charm that Black Doom gave to him. He clenches his hand tightly around it. "Goodbye forever…father."

In his mind mind, his own thoughts continue, _"We'll fight again, Sonic. On_ my _terms."_


	8. Epilogue: To Defeat a Hedgehog

**Note: This Epilogue was posted simultaneously with Part 7, so don't forget to go back and read that first!**

* * *

 **Epilogue: To Defeat a Hedgehog**

 **Several Years Later**

In front of a great gothic castle with tall spires, surrounded by a grim garden of unkempt hedges and decaying black trees, a banner is planted into the ground. Though seemingly hung upside-down, it bears the unmistakable symbol of Shadow and the Black Arms.

Someone steps slowly through the halls of the castle, each step echoing loudly as he proceeds towards a single object that lies on the ground. Shadow the hedgehog bends down to pick it up. The back of his hand is covered by a red extension of his far more elaborate wrist cuff, hiding the spot where he once made a cut.

He slowly lifts the thin sheet of paper up to his face. On the paper, an elaborately-embossed border frames a simple handwritten message.

 _Dear Shadow,_

 _I'll get straight to the point. If you want to defeat Sonic the Hedgehog, come to my evil lair at 11:00 A.M. tomorrow. There will be soft drinks and fine cheeses to snack on. It won't be complete without you!_

 _XOXO,_

 _Dr. Eggman_

Shadow glares down at the paper silently, showing little emotion. It seems, over the years, his burning rage has simmered to a cold apathy. His spikes, like Sonic's, have grown messy and unkempt, with several individual quills out of place.

Suddenly, Shadow crushes the paper in one hand. He growls with a sneer, "What does that fool think he's doing? I thought I scared him out of this nonsense."

He slowly unclenches his hand to look down at the crumpled piece of paper. "Still…if there's a chance…even a small one…I can endure his presence for that."

—–—

 **Later the next day**

Sonic leaps onto the windshield of Eggman's Eggmobile, glaring him straight in the eye. "Call off your goons, or I'll smash you into next week."

Eggman, apparently having lost some weight and gained some upper body strength, now wears a completely different jacket, decorated with many buttons, and a yellow section folded over the front. He manages to answer with a straight face, "I'm busy next week. I-I mean, I can reschedule, but I–" He is suddenly cut off as a red streak blasts by, taking Sonic with it.

Sonic lands in a crouch, looking up to the shoulder of a massive, hulking red and yellow robot, where Shadow stands with arms crossed.

Shadow looks straight to Eggman from his perch. "Pathetic. Even with all this help, you _still_ couldn't defeat Sonic."

Sonic wastes no time with words, leaping into action at full speed. Shadow wears a smirk as he leaps down in turn. The two spinning hedgehogs collide in the middle, each bouncing off and skidding across the ground on their feet. They stare each other down for just a moment.

Wearing a giddy smile, Eggman marvels, "It's happening… Shadow has joined Team Eggman! I'm geeking out here!" He excitedly flies his craft closer to Shadow.

"Hmph." Shadow strikes at the bottom of Eggman's craft, knocking him out of sight before running straight back in for Sonic.

The two collide in balls once again, this time bounding straight upwards to strike each other in the air. At impressive speeds, they weave around each other in the air and along the ground, trying to strike from any possible angle, neither ever landing any clear hit on the other.

Eggman tries to follow them as closely as he can, though he's nowhere close to keeping up. "Need any help, Shadow? O-okay, y-you've got this one. Oh, heh heh, just missed ya. A-allow me to, uh-o-okay, just, uh, tag me in when you're ready."

Shadow slides into standing position just in front of Eggman. "Out of the way, you buffoon!"

That distraction is enough for Sonic to speed in with a Spin Attack, knocking Shadow headlong through the wall of an old wooden hut.

Shadow stands in the dust and rubble with a growl. He becomes surrounded with a crimson aura. In an instant, he dashes back at Sonic, landing a solid uppercut to his chin that sends him flying upwards. Shadow leaps up after him.

Eggman weaves his way through some of his own flying robots, still trying to follow the fight. "'Scuse me, I'm with Shadow."

Shadow grabs Sonic in the air, pulling them both headfirst back towards the ground. Sonic manages push off at the last moment, landing on his feet in front of a very odd-looking wooden bookcase that sits outside. A moment later, Shadow lands directly on top of it, flattening it to the ground.

Addressing Shadow directly for the first time, Sonic cries, "Hey! We worked all day on that!"

Shadow spits back the very same words used to hurt him so long ago. "Your shoddy craftsmanship brings shame on all hedgehog kind. And for that, you shall perish." With a quick Chaos Control, Shadow appears in front of Sonic, striking with an uppercut once again.

Before Sonic can ever react, Shadow is already there above him, delivering a roundhouse kick that sends him hurtling back towards the ground. Sonic slams into the earth hard enough to leave a large crater in the ground, throwing a cloud of dust up into the air.

Shadow stands on the edge of the crater staring down at Sonic with his usual cold expression. Eggman flies up beside him. "We did it! Sonic was defeated by Team Eggman!" He pulls out a large, old-fashioned camera, putting his other arm around Shadow's shoulders. "Victory selfie!"

Shadow reacts habitually, turning his face away from the camera, just as he did in a photo that was taken of him long ago. Still, the bright flash produced as the camera snaps its photo is enough to blind him. He holds an arm up to his eyes with a grunt of pain.

Sonic quickly jumps to his feet in the moment provided, dashing at Shadow with an uppercut of his own. Shadow tumbles back along the ground. He props himself up with both hands, turning to Eggman with a glare of malice. "You fool! I had him just where I wanted him!"

Sounding more amused than apologetic, Eggman responds, "Sooooorry. Heh, that one's on me, Shadow. Forgot to turn off the flash." He holds out the camera for Shadow to see. "Pic looks great, though, if it's any consolation."

Shadow rises to his feet. "Enough! How's a guy supposed to destroy his foes with dolts like you wandering around!?" He turns back to look to Sonic. "We'll fight again soon, Sonic. But next time, on _my_ terms." With that, he disappears in a blue flash.

Sonic's friends run in from all sides of the village, their own foes defeated. Tails, Amy, and Knuckles are all there, as well as someone new, a Badger with a wild appearance. While Amy wears a new outfit, something is completely different about Knuckles. He still wears the white bandages around his immensely swollen, muscular arms. Though his head isn't much different, his body has grown inhumanly large. It seems he's put a lot of effort into becoming strong enough.

The friends share a five-way fist bump, all cheering, "Yeah!"

Amy congratulates, "Great job, everybody!"

Knuckles, with a slow voice that now seems to come inherently with a permanent hint of confusion, comments, "We may not be able to build a bookcase, but we sure as heck can clobber some creeps."

Sonic looks past them, to Eggman. "Speaking of which…" The other turn to follow his gaze.

Eggman backs up his craft slowly. "Now guys, l-let's not point fingers about 'who's to blame' for this…little scuffle…"

Sonic and friends all run in to attack. Eggman can be heard shouting, "No!"

—–—

A great storm rages outside of Shadow's castle, intense wind blowing a downpour of rain against the outside walls.

Shadow slams the side of his fist into the castle wall inside, hard enough to spread large cracks in every direction. He stands there for several moments, hand pressed against the newly-damaged wall, trying to control his breathing. Water starts to seep through the cracks. In his other hand, Shadow holds something. The Doom's Eye trinket. He clenches it tighter. "I haven't forgotten, father. I…haven't…" He suddenly drops to his knees, unable to say anything more.

The harsh rain continues to pour ceaselessly outside.

 _"I am Shadow…the Hedgehog. The Ultimate Life Form, born to rule all. But everything I've ever had has been taken away from me. Sonic is only the beginning. Soon, I will take my revenge on this whole pathetic universe!_ This _is WHO I AM!"_

 **The End**

* * *

 **April Fools! It was a Sonic Boom prequel the entire time!**


End file.
